Hopple



(No Model.)

W. WHITTEN. V

HOPPLE.

No. 398,683. Patented Feb. 26, 1889..

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NliTitZD STATES ATENT tries.

\VESTON IVHITTEN, OF UNITY, MAINE.

HOPPLEQ ES'L ECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,683, dated February 26, 1889.-

Application filed May 28, 1888- Serial No. 275,345. (No model.)

' ing the loose ends passed rearward between the fore legs and tied short to the hind ankles.

With such a fetter a stallion is apt to get ontangled over the rope in coming off the mare, there being a rope running along on each side, and even while on the mare he is apt to get h s hind feet caught over the rope and be injured thereby. While there is this danger of injuring the stallion, there is still greater dai'iger of injuring the mare by the old method. She is liable to rear and go over backward, being unable to save herself by reason of the rigidity of the fastening of the fetter.

I My improved fetter is designed to overcome these diiticulties; and to this end it consists in the improvements which will first be fully described with. reference to the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claim.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a view of a mare wearing my improved fetter. Fig. 2 is a view of a fetter of slightlychanged form detached from the mare. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating another modification of the form.

1 is a strap or rope looped to surround the neck of the mare, and provided, preferably, with a ring, 2, at the breast, which serves for attachment to the neck-strap 1 of a second strap or rope, 3,l1aving at its lower end a ring, -l-.

is a strap or rope which is attached to one or the other of the two rings 4: S, and passed back and forth between them, and finally up to and through the ring 13. The ring 8 is connected to the hopplo for the hind legs which consists of the short sliding strap 01- rope 9, passed through ring 8 and connected to the hind legs of the mare at the gambreljoints, preferably by the means shownviz., by the straps 10 above and below the joint, vertical straps or bars 11 passing around or through loops on straps l0 and connecting straps 12 to keep the straps 10 at the right distance asunder.

In Fig. 2 thehopple-connection is lengthened by inserting the straps 7 and ring (5, the lat ter receiving the adj listing-strap 5, which may in this instance be passed right up to and through rin 2.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 the intermediate ring, 4,, and strap 3 are dispensed with, the adjustable strap or rope 5 being made to connect the rings 2 and 6 directly. The form shown in Fig. 1 is preferable, however, for the reason that in that form the ring is brought so low that the strap 5 does not bear upon or abrade the breast.

It will be seen that with my improved fetter applied to the mare connection between the fore and hind legs is central of the body, so that there is little likelihood of the legs of the stallion catching upon it. The hopplestrap 0, sliding through the ring 8, allows the hind legs to move separately, so as to afford no obstruction in walking. The adjustable strap or rope 5 may be pulled up as tight as required, or loosened by the attendant when required; or, if the mare be about to kick, the rope can be drawn up as the leg comes forward and there held, thus preventing the backward stroke; or, in case itbe inconvenient to have an attendant for holding this strap or rope 5, it can be securely fastened to the ring 2 or other part of the fetter.

I am aware that a device for preventing horses from kicking has before been used, consisting of a strap connected with both hind legs and passing freely through a loop in the end of the belly-strap. This, therefore, I do not broadly claim.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

The combination of the neck-strap ring IOO 2, breast-strap 3, the fetters 1O 11 12, fitted to and rove through the rings 2 and 0 for inthe hoekof the mare, and connected by a short strap, 9, to prevent kicking sidewise, the belly-strap 7, having rings 6 and 8 at its 5 respective ends, through the latter of which the fetjer-eonnecting strap 9 runs freely, and

the cord or strap 5, having one loose end attached by its other end to one of the rings,

stantly tightening the connection with both 10 hind legs simultaneously an d to any necessary extent, as explained.

-WESTON XVHITTEN. Witnesses:

WM. H. FOGLER, HENRY L. SHUTE. 

